Honesty
by Niphrehdil
Summary: SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING: set to season three. My take on the scene between Merlin and Arthur, in the pouring rain. Oneshot.


**Hey everybody!**

So, I just signed up here, after years of visiting the site and reading thousands of fics. I've written my own stories for years now, but never got the guts to publish anything. But here I am: publishing my first fanfic.

It's about the show** Merlin**, set to unaired season three. I chose this story from my computer because it's just a oneshot and pretty plain. So please be nice to me: yes, I want some constructive critic. If you love it, tell me why. If you hate it, tell me also why.

And thirdly, English is _not_ my native language. So forgive my grammar or spelling mistakes if there are any. Tell me if you'd like to read some more, I've got bunch of stories on my computer and I write more pretty often. Review! It's the only way I can know should I continue posting these.

_SUMMARY_: **SPOILER WARNING!**_ My take on the sad scene between Arthur and Merlin which has partly been captured by the visitors of Pierrefonds. It has angry Arthur with his sword, hitting something (I put that here as a wooden fence) and Merlin standing nearby, leaning to the castle's wall, standing quietly as Arthur takes out his rage. The sky is grey and it's pouring rain, and the cast has said that it is an very emotional scene for Arthur. This is the way I imagined in my head._

by: **Niphrehdil**

* * *

Arthur clanged the fence as hard as he could. He had banged it for awhile, seeing nothing but red fury.

Merlin leaned against ice cold wall, as the pouring rain kept tapping the ground, him, and the angry Prince screaming his heart out and breaking the fence to million pieces.

Arthur had just found out.

What Merlin tried to spare him from.

Arthur had found out what really had caused the Great Purge. The truth about his mother. That his father had caused it. That his hate against magic was his own guilt, nothing more.

His mother was dead because of his father.

Merlin closed his eyes as the water rippled down on his face. He breathed in long gasps, they turned to shallow smoke from the cold rain.

He didn't know how long it took, but suddenly it was quiet. Considering that Arthur had gone screaming and yelling and swinging his sword quite awhile, it seemed odd. Merlin opened his eyes.

He saw Arthur on his knees on the wet ground, his sword still partly on his hands but mostly laying limply on the ground, and Arthur taking deep breathes.

Merlin didn't know if he should go to him or not. Arthur had been furious, and he had thought it was the best if he stood out of the way. Emotional control and patience hadn't ever been one of Arthur's strong sides.

Of course Arthur wouldn't hurt him, but he just might jostle him out of the way. Or unload his rage on him. None of the options seemed inviting.

Merlin walked slowly closer. Arthur didn't move. He had bowed his head down.

-Arthur?" he asked quietly.

The prince didn't answer. He just kept taking deep breathes.

Merlin walked a bit closer. He wasn't really sure how much further he could push Arthur. Affter he had found out his magic things had been quite unsteady between them, even if the situation was normal on the surface.

Merlin took few more steps closer. Arthur didn't respond. His shoulders were shaking.

Merlin swallowed hard, and walked to the prince. He hesitated awhile, but the prince didn't react, so he kneeled slowly next to him, keeping a slight distance.

-Arthur?" he asked very carefully, very quietly.

The Prince took deep, raspy breathes, like he was about to explode.

All the water that had formed puddles everywhere soaked rest of Merlin's clothes. He was now completely wet, cold and miserable, but he didn't care.

Merlin tilted his head, trying to see the prince's face. -Arthur, I..." he started, but then suddenly Arthur shot up standing and started to walk away from him.

Merlin blinked in surprise but then got up quickly and followed. He kept pacing after the seemingly calm prince and he had to almost run to keep up. Then he forced himself to make him talk.

-Arthur?" he said louder. Nothing. Prince kept walking. Now Merlin was getting frustrated. And very worried. Where was he going? What he was about to do? It didn't seem good, considering the last time this had happened.

-Arthur, you have to stop!" he shouted as he tried to keep up.

Arthur stopped dead on his tracks and turned around, and Merlin froze to his place when he saw the prince's face.

-NO! I'm not the one who needs stopping! It's that monster I used to call my father! That murderer, that liar, that betrayer!" Arthur screamed, face red and pale at the same time. He looked awful. Merlin had never seen Arthur this complexed, furious and sad at the same time.

Merlin was so stunned that he almost choked on his words.

-But..." he started.

-No, Merlin, NO! There is no "buts." He is a cold, emotionless liar who has killed, tortured and slayed thousands of innocent people!" Arthur said, waving his hands in fury.

Merlin tried to clear his head. It was confusing to agree with him but trying not to as the Prince could explode and do something rash if he would provoke him. He tried to sound comforting but quiet:

-Maybe you should calm down and..."

Arthur blinked and gasped in fury, and just shook his head.

-Please, Arthur, don't do anything rash that you'll regret later on."

Arthur's rage seemed to lit up even more. -Oh like the time before? When you lied to me, so I didn't end my father like I was about to?"

Alright, Merlin thought, dangerous territory. He raised his hands as an calming effort. -No, I don't mean that, just...You should try to calm down. What's done is done. Even if you...kill him - it won't bring those people back."

Arthur's fury-stricken expression started to crack, and Merlin could see something like panic in his face. He couldn't explain why.

Arthur turned around, but didn't move. He was quiet awhile, but then he responded:

-That is the problem."

Merlin was surprised. -What is?"

A moment just the rain kept pouring around them. Arthur was silent so long that Merlin walked around him, next to him.

Arthur's eyes were closed. -That is the problem right there, Merlin. Just months ago I was ready to see you die...To see you...burn, for God's sake...Just because of my father's lies."

Oh. So there was the thing bothering him.

Merlin blinked and thought back to the moment when Arthur had found out, and the long process to make him forgive. It seemed it had been a long time ago, even if it just was mere months.

Merlin swallowed. -Arthur..."

Arthur just shook his head, raised it and faced Merlin. He was crying.

-No, Merlin, you could've get killed for a crime you hadn't committed. Don't you understand...You could be gone right now. You could have been murdered in front of my eyes, because of me. Because the lies I had been told. Because of the lies my father has fed me all my life. Merlin...If I had turned you in, then you wouldn't be standing there."

Merlin blinked, as his own tears started to burn behind his eyes. His throat was too thick to answer.

Arthur's eyes poured, mixing to the heavy rain around them, filling the space between. He stared Merlin. -Don't you see it...I would be alone now. I would have found out today that all of those people have been killed for nothing. And you along them. And it would have been my fault, that..."

But Arthur's voice broke and he had to look away. Merlin's eyes burnt hot, as he listened Arthur's sincere words, tears now streaming down his face. The Prince had never been this honest.

Merlin had thought that Uther's lying had hurt Arthur the most, that he had been furious because of it. But now he realized what Arthur was really angry about. What if Arthur had really turned him in and he would have been executed? It might have just broken Arthur, knowing that Merlin had been killed for nothing.

Rain rippled down from the Arthur's blond hair to his forehead, as he gasped. -I just might've forgive him...just slightly...if I wasn't sure he would have killed you without a second thought, even if he knew how loyal you were and how much good you have done. But he would have. He would have killed you. My God. You, because of you were evil and plotted against Camelot? Unbelievable. How could I have ever doubted that..."

Arthur muttered.

Merlin swallowed. -It's alright, Arthur, I..."

-No it's not alright. It's nothing but alright. I promise that he will never hurt you. He will never lay a finger on you because what you are." Arthur said, now anger again taking hold of his voice.

Merlin was taken aback by the promise. Usually the Prince wasn't this straightforward. And this...protective. Of course he had known that Arthur cared for him, but he hadn't been that sure after the whole incident where his magic had been revealed.

Arthur closed his eyes for a moment. -No. He will not touch you, I promise. No matter what. He will pay for the things he has done." he said, between his teeth.

Merlin looked at him, with his big blue eyes full of surprise, warmth and terror. Arthur had just swore that Uther would never hurt him. That he would step between Merlin, a sorcerer, and his father, the King.

Merlin looked at Arthur, stunned, and tears broke free.

-T-thank you." he just whispered. He didn't know what else to say.

Arthur stared the castle now. -No. You shouldn't thank me. This is the way it should had always been. You are not a criminal, nor evil, Merlin. I am sorry that I ever doubted that." he said, and then started to walk towards the castle.

Merlin was left in the rain, with an apology floating in the air. Apology. From Arthur. He would have never believed that he'd got one. Especially the one he didn't deserve.

Merlin stood there in the pouring rain, and stared as Arthur walked omenously towards the castle. He knew that this time, he shouldn't intrude or step between Arthur and the truth.

There were no secrets anymore. None.

It was Arthur's choice now.

As Merlin looked to the Prince as he got further away from him and closer to the actions he would soon take, Merlin saw the King he would be serving. With his magic.


End file.
